Program: MBA in Investment Management
Term of entry: Fall 2021
Graduation term: Summer 2024
Most recent or current position: Senior Portfolio Manager, Investment Advisor at TD
Why did you choose the John Molson School of Business? After doing extensive research into many MBA programs, I chose the John Molson School of Business. Out of the more than 40 MBA programs in Canada, John Molson ranks in the top 5, and globally, ranks in the top 100 which is quite impressive. The calibre of professors teaching the courses are top-notch and they provide real life, hands-on experience - some have literally written the CFA books!
I was also impressed by the responsiveness of the program managers, coordinators, and administrators, as well as the preparedness for integrating technology and virtual resources during these challenging times. This cannot be understated. You truly feel like you are getting a great return on your investment.
What are the highlights of your program so far? No matter how much experience you have, you quickly realize how brilliant, knowledgeable, and experienced your professors are. It’s a very enriching experience! The calibre of my classmates is also top notch and everyone contributes in a very meaningful way.
I appreciate the guest speakers, some of whom are investment managers that started firms from scratch and now manage billions of dollars, from public equities, to private equities, real estate, pension plans, etc. You normally wouldn’t get access to these professionals, some of whom are graduates of John Molson themselves, if it wasn’t for being part of this program. To be quite frank, if you think you’ve learned everything that can be learned in finance, or if you think you can learn all you need to learn just from text books, this MBA program exposes you to the “you don’t know what you don’t know”, and that can only come from a unique program like this.
The projects and assignments that apply the finance theories make you appreciate the “how” and the “why”. For example, defining diversification and regression analysis is one thing, but constructing portfolios and visualizing the optimization of risk and return in the context of real life projects takes it to another level, something that many investment professionals don’t get to experience in their day to day work.
What is special about Montreal? The community spirit, international attractions, diversity, and the food.
Future aspirations: To continue to improve my skills and knowledge so that I can provide a more enriching experience for my clients, and to protect and grow their hard-earned wealth, as I believe I owe it to them. These are tools that benefit me personally as well. I’m proud to say that just one year into the program, it has already paid dividends especially on the risk management front which in good times, tends to take the back seat to returns.
